Now, Aurangabad civic body readies Rs 1,730 crore Smart City plan

The central government recently asked the AMC to focus on specific amenities and make necessary changes in the earlier proposal under the pan-city category.Niraj Chinchkhede | TNN | June 27, 2016, 13:30 IST

AURANGABAD: The civic body will submit a revised proposal worth Rs 1,730 crore to the central government by June 30 under the ambitious Smart City scheme, according top priority to the public transport system.

The central government recently asked the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to focus on specific amenities and make necessary changes in the earlier proposal under the pan-city category. Accordingly, the civic authorities prepared an elaborate plan to introduce state-of-the-art public transport system in the city, including modern bus stops and GPS-equipped bus.

Moreover, the authorities are also planning to introduce high-tech solutions in the solid waste management system.

Talking about the feasibility of the ambitious proposal, municipal commissioner Om Prakash Bakoria on Saturday claimed that the civic body would comfortably raise the required funds. "We will receive about Rs 1,100 crore from the state and central governments over a period of 10 years. Besides, the AMC will also raise about Rs 430 crore through auction of land along Jalna road," he said.

The civic body is also looking at raising money through the sale of residential blocks, even as it has proposed to provide affordable houses. Households for economically weaker sections and lower income as well as middle income groups have also been proposed.

The civic body has identified about 550 acres in Chikhalthana, of which 150 acres is in possession of the government. The municipal authorities on Saturday reiterated that they would not face difficulties in arranging the remaining land in the area.

Greenfield development will introduce most of the smart solutions in a previously vacant area (more than 250 acres) using innovative planning, plan financing and plan implementation tools (e.g. land pooling/land reconstruction) with provisions for affordable housing, especially for the poor.

As part of the smart city project, the civic body will receive funds from the central government to provide adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation (including solid waste management), efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, especially for the poor; robust IT connectivity and digitalization among other facilities.